U.S. patent number 4,107,402 [Application Number 05/835,728] was granted by the patent office on 1978-08-15 for battery and battery container having air-flow passages therethrough.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Globe-Union Inc.. Invention is credited to Thomas John Dougherty, Roy Erving Hennen, John Ronald Pierson.
United States Patent |
4,107,402 |
Dougherty , et al. |
August 15, 1978 |
Battery and battery container having air-flow passages
therethrough
Abstract
A battery and battery container having air-flow passages
therethrough. The container includes partitions separating the
cells of the battery, the partitions each being comprised of a pair
of spaced apart parallel partition walls defining a narrow
generally planar air flow passage between the cells of the battery.
The spaced apart partition walls are integrally joined together at
a location adjacent a central portion which includes an aperture to
permit intercell welding of adjacent cells.
Inventors: |
Dougherty; Thomas John
(Waukesha, WI), Hennen; Roy Erving (Mequon, WI), Pierson;
John Ronald (Brookfield, WI) |
Assignee: |
Globe-Union Inc. (Milwaukee,
WI)
|
Family
ID: |
25270308 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/835,728 |
Filed: |
September 22, 1977 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
429/120; 429/176;
429/148 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01M
50/112 (20210101); Y02E 60/10 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01M
2/02 (20060101); H01M 002/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;429/120,71,148,163,176 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Walton; Donald L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Smith; David B. Ryan; John
Phillip
Claims
We claim:
1. A one-piece molded thin-walled polymer battery container
comprising a plurality of unitary individual compartments therein
integrally connected and for containing battery grids and
electrolyte therein, and said container including opposed parallel
spaced apart vertical end walls, vertical side walls joining said
end walls, and pairs of mutually spaced apart partition walls
extending between said side walls, transverse to said side walls
and integrally joined with said side walls, each of said pairs of
partition walls separating two adjacent compartments, and said
pairs of partition walls each defining a narrow generally planar
air-flow passage therebetween, and each of said partition walls
having upper edges, and said partition walls forming each pair of
partition walls being integrally joined adjacent a portion of their
upper edges to form a single thickness partition wall portion, said
air-flow passages including two spaced apart portions adjacent said
upper edges and on opposite sides of said single partition wall
portion.
2. The one-piece molded thin-walled polymer battery container set
forth in claim 1 wherein said side walls each include an opening
therein, said opening communication with one of said air flow
passages and permitting air flow through said side walls.
3. The one-piece molded thin-walled polymer battery container set
forth in claim 1 wherein said single wall portions each include an
aperture therethrough.
4. The one-piece molded thin-walled polymer battery container set
forth in claim 1 wherein said single thickness partition wall
portion defines a plane parallel to the adjacent pair of partition
walls and therebetween.
5. A battery comprising a one-piece molded thin walled polymer
battery container having an open top and defining a series of
parallel integrally joined compartments each of said compartments
including side walls and a bottom wall and defining a cavity
therein; stacked battery plates positioned in each of said
compartments; and a top cover in sealed engagement with said open
top for closing said compartments; said molded container including
pairs of mutually spaced apart partition walls extending between
said side walls, transverse to said side walls and integrally
joined therewith, each of said pairs of partition walls separating
two adjacent compartments, and each of said pairs of partition
walls defining a narrow generally planar air-flow passage
therebetween, and said partition walls having upper edges, and each
pair of partition walls being integrally joined adjacent a portion
of their upper edges and forming a single thickness partition wall,
and said top cover including a plurality of openings therethrough,
said openings being in communication with said air-flow passages
and permitting air flow through said top cover.
6. The battery set forth in claim 5 wherein said openings comprise
a plurality of pairs of parallel slots, the slots of each of said
pairs of slots being linearly aligned.
7. The battery set forth in claim 5 wherein said partition wall
portions of each of said pairs of partition walls includes an
aperture therethrough, and wherein a connecting means for
electrically connecting the battery plates of adjacent compartments
extends through said aperture.
8. The battery set forth in claim 5 wherein said side walls each
include an opening therein, said opening communicating with one of
said air-flow passages and permitting air flow through said side
walls.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to batteries and containers for
batteries. More particularly, the invention relates to a battery
and a container therefore having an integral molded construction
and including air-flow passages through the container to facilitate
heat transfer from the battery.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Energy efficient hybrid vehicles have been developed employing
relatively small internal combustion engines as the vehicle prime
mover and including an electric motor-generator functional during
peak power demands, such as during acceleration, to provide
additional acceleration power and functional during periods of
deceleration or braking to convert power to electrical energy.
Batteries are provided to store the electrical energy generated by
the electric motor-generator during deceleration and braking and
also to deliver electric power to the electric motor during
acceleration.
In the operation of hybrid vehicles, the batteries are subjected to
a relatively rapid discharging cycle and in normal use the
batteries are subjected to only a minor or shallow discharge before
being recharged. During this rapid discharging and recharging of
the batteries, heat is generated by current flow through the
batteries. If the battery after discharge is subsequently charged
and discharged again before the heat generated has been dissipated,
a heat buildup will occur and cause thermal degradation of the
materials used in construction of the battery. Heat buildup also
tends to cause excessive loss of electrolyte and disproportionate
charging of the cells of the battery resulting in failure of the
battery, The heat generation in a conventional battery used in a
hybrid vehicle can be substantial because the battery is subjected
to a rapid charge/discharge cycle. Furthermore, heat generation is
particularly acute when the battery being charged is nearly fully
charged, and the operation of hybrid vehicles normally causes only
shallow discharge before recharge. Due to the generation of such
heat, prior art lead-acid batteries have not been sufficiently
durable for use in hybrid vehicles.
Various other applications for batteries in industrial uses or the
like have required batteries which include air-flow passages
through the batteries to facilitate cooling of the batteries, but
none of these batteries is acceptable for use in a hybrid vehicle.
Such prior art batteries are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,048,
issued July 10, 1973 to Dinkler et al; U.S. Pat. No. 2,273,244,
issued Feb. 17, 1942 to Ambruster; U.S. Pat. No. 2,410,952, issued
Nov. 12, 1946 to Leighton; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,468, issued Oct.
23, 1973 to Schusler. None of these batteries shown by the prior
art, however, present a functional battery which can be used in a
hybrid vehicle.
The batteries of the type shown in the Dinkler et al and Schusler
patents, for example, are intended to function as stationary or
industrial batteries and have a rigid metal container supporting a
plurality of independent cells therein. A battery having such a
metal case is generally heavy and unsuitable for a vehicle intended
to be energy conservative. Furthermore, these batteries do not
provide a configuration which is sufficiently compact to be
desireable for use in a vehicle.
Other prior art batteries, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,452
issued Aug. 29, 1967 to Oakley et al and U.S. Pat. No. 3,147,151
issued Sept. 1, 1964 to Toce, also have a construction permitting
air flow between cells of the batteries. However, such batteries
would also be unsuitable for use in hybrid vehicles. The batteries
shown in the Oakley et al and Toce patents include a plurality of
independent cells joined together by dove-tailed connections to
provide assemblies of varied numbers of cells, the number of cells
being connected together being dependent on the desired size of the
battery. Such batteries would not be desirable for use in a hybrid
vehicle because assembly of the cells during manufacturing would be
unduly expensive, the batteries would not be sufficiently compact;
and the internal electrical resistance of the batteries would be
too high to provide the required efficiency. This last detriment of
such prior art batteries arises because relatively long connecting
links are required to join the electrical terminals of the battery
cells, the long connecting links resulting in increased internal
electrical resistance in the battery. Furthermore, due to the rapid
or frequent charge/discharge cycle of batteries in a hybrid
vehicle, low internal resistance is required to decrease heat
generation in the battery.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a battery and a battery container
wherein the battery container is a one-piece molded unit having
internally connected cell portions and including air-flow passages
between the cells. The battery container, though providing for air
flow between the cells to facilitate cooling and uniform
temperature in each of the cells, also has a construction
facilitating use of very short electrical connecting members
between the cells thereby minimizing electrical resistance between
the cells, increasing the efficiency of the battery and decreasing
the heat generated by current flow through the connections. The
one-piece molded container, though including air passages for air
flow through the battery, also provides a size efficient, rigid
durable unit having sufficient strength for use in a vehicle and
capable of withstanding abusive handling.
Though the battery and battery container of the invention provide
for air flow through the battery thereby making the battery useful
in a hybrid vehicle, the battery and battery container can be used
advantageously in other applications and are not limited to use in
a hybrid vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the battery and battery container
of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation cross-section view taken generally along
line 2--2 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the battery shown in FIG. 1 with a portion
of the top cover broken away; and
FIG. 4 is an end elevation cross-section view of the battery and
taken generally along line 4--4 in FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a
battery 10 generally comprised of a one-piece integral container 12
divided into a plurality of cell compartments 14 and a top cover 16
received over the open end of the container 12 to seal the cell
compartments 14. The battery top cover 16 supports positive and
negative terminals 18 and 20, respectively, and a plurality of
individual vent caps 21 functional to permit access to the cell
compartments 14.
Battery Container
The container 12 is comprised of vertical end walls 22 and vertical
side walls 24 joining the vertical end walls 22, and also includes
a plurality of vertically extending narrow planar air passages 26
between each of the cell compartments and defined by pairs of
generally parallel spaced apart partition walls 28. The container
12 also includes a plurality of integral cell compartment bottom
walls 29. Rigidity of the battery container is provided by the side
walls 24 which integrally join the sides of the cell compartments
and is further provided by the top cover 16 which is heat sealed to
the upper edges of container 12 and which includes a peripheral lip
25 surrounding the upper portion of the battery 12.
The pairs of partition walls 28, separating the cell compartments
14 and defining the narrow air flow passages 26 between the
compartments, extend perpendicularly to the side walls 24. The
upper edges 28a of partition walls 28 are held in place by the top
cover 16 and the lower edges of the walls 28 are respectively
integrally joined with the cell compartment bottom walls 29. The
pairs of partition walls 28 respectively merge together at a
location centrally and adjacent their upper portions to form a
single thickness partition wall portion 30 having a material
thickness approximating the thickness of one of the partition walls
28. The partition wall portion 30 joining the partition walls 28
includes an aperture 31 therethrough, the aperture 31 being
intended to facilitate a connection between the battery cells in a
manner to be describe hereinafter. It will be noted that the narrow
planar air-flow passage 26 has an area nearly as great as the
cross-section of the battery in the direction of the plane of the
end walls 22 and that only the portion of the cell compartments 14
separated by the single thickness partition wall portion 30 are in
adjacent relationship. At other locations the cell compartments 14
are separated by the air passage 26.
It will be noted that the narrow planar air conducting passage 26
between each of the battery cells and defined by the pairs of
partition walls 28, each include an elongated narrow opening 26a
adjacent the bottom walls 29 of the battery container and extending
across the battery container between the side walls 24. The air
conducting passages 26 also include a pair of linearly spaced apart
slots 34 (FIG. 3) adjacent the upper end of the container 12, the
slots 34 being linearly separated by the partition wall portion 30.
Air flow upwardly through the battery and between the cell
compartments 14 will be through the elongated openings 26a at the
bottom of the battery 10 and then through the linearly spaced apart
slots 34 adjacent the upper portion of the container.
As shown in FIG. 1, the side walls 24 include vertically extending
elongated slots 36 therethrough, the slots 36 being mutually
parallel and communicating with the airflow passages 26 to provide
for additional air flow through the battery 10. The inclusion of
the slots 36 is optional depending on the amount of air flow
through the battery required.
Top Cover
The battery cover 16 is received against the upper edges of the
container 12 and is heat sealed or otherwise bonded to the surfaces
of the upper edges of the container 12. To facilitate such bonding
of the cover 16 to the container 12, the lower side of the cover 16
to be received against the container is provided with a plurality
of downwardly projecting vanes 38, the vanes 38 intended to be
received on opposite sides of the upper edges of the partition
walls 28 and single thickness partition wall portions 30 to
properly align the cover 16 and the walls 28 and wall portions
30.
The vent caps 21 are of a type described in detail in U.S. Pat. No.
3,879,227 issued Apr. 22, 1975 to Hennen and assigned to the same
assignee as the present invention.
The cover 16 is further provided with a plurality of parallel
spaced apart pairs of linearly aligned, mutually spaced apart slots
42. When the cover is received against the top of the battery
container, the slots 42 are aligned with the complementary linearly
spaced apart slots 34 in the container 12 whereby air flow is
facilitated vertically between the cells 14 and through the cover
16. Flanges 44 projecting downwardly from the lower surface of the
top cover 16 and surrounding the slots 42 in the top cover 16 are
respectively received within the upper end of the air flow passages
34 of the container 12 when the top cover 16 is heat sealed onto
the container 12.
In order to provide for increased air flow between the battery
cells, the elongated slots 36 can be extended upwardly and slots 42
extended to merge with slots 36.
Intercell Connection
As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the cell compartments 14 each include a
plurality of stacked parallel interleaved positive plates 46 and
negative plates 48 mutually held in spaced relation by thin
separators (not shown) therebetween. The positive plates 46 each
include an upwardly extending grid lug 50 are electrically and
mechanically joined by a cast lead strap 52. The method of joining
the battery plates 46 by means of the cast-on-strap 52 and the
advantages thereof are well known to those skilled in the art and
are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,005 issued Apr. 23, 1963 to
Sabatino et al. The cast lead straps 52 joining the positive plates
46 each include an upwardly projecting member 54 positioned ajacent
to the aperture 31 of the single thickness partition wall portion
30 in facing relation to a complementary upwardly projecting member
55 of a cast lead strap 58 joining the upwardly extending lugs 60
of negative plates 48 in an adjacent cell compartment 14. The
upwardly projecting members 54 and 55 are welded together through
the aperture 31 to form an electrical and mechanical joint between
the positive plates 46 of one cell and the negative plates 48 of an
adjacent cell. A method and apparatus for forming the welded
connection through the aperture 31 are well known to those skilled
in the art and are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,269 issued July
29, 1975 to Sabatino et al. The welded electrical connection
through the partition wall portion 30 has the advantage of a formed
fluid tight joint around the periphery of the aperture 31 and
thereby prevents leakage of electrolyte between adjacent cells
14.
Though FIGS. 2 and 4 illustrate the cell compartments as being
integrally joined by a vertical vane 26b functional to increase the
rigidity of the container, the vane 26b could be deleted thereby
facilitating air flow laterally through the battery between the
adjacent cells.
Resume
When in use in a hybrid vehicle, a battery of the type shown in the
drawings and described above, will generate heat. The battery is to
be positioned to permit free air flow through the air passages in
the container and through the slots in the battery cover, the air
flow being caused by heat generated in the battery during charging
and discharging. Additionally, cooling of the battery could be
further improved by alternatively providing means for forcing air
to flow through the air passages in the battery. Such air flow will
cause each of the cells of the battery to be cooled substantially
equally, and accordingly, the temperatures of the respective cells
of the battery will be maintained uniform. If, on the other hand,
an effective means were not provided to facilitate uniform cooling
of the respective cells, those cells having higher temperatures
would be caused to "gas" more and would lose electrolyte faster
than the remaining cells. Furthermore, those cells having a higher
temperature and subjected to the same voltage as cells at a lower
temperature would not be charged at the same rate as the cooler
adjacent cells. Additionally, heat buildup in the battery cells
also causes thermal damage to the various components of the battery
shorteining the effective life of the battery.
* * * * *